Early 2024 Pastor Eric Lethco announced his plan to retire July 2024. He and his wife Patti took early retirement to pursue God's calling into their new ministry Maasai Pastor Project in Tanzania.
A Covenant of Relationship between Old Fort Baptist Church and Dr. Hal West, transitional pastor, was entered into July 14, 2024.
Update as of March 4, 2025.
At our last meeting, the committee agreed on a “Covenant of Agreements” which will serve as guidelines for how we will function internally as a committee.
We are also reworking a survey for the congregation that will allow you to share your expectations of what you desire in our new Pastor. It will be available in a few weeks.
Click the + below to see more detail on the items above.
Pastor Search Committee
3/4/2025
At our last meeting, the committee agreed on a “Covenant of Agreements” which will serve as guidelines for how we will function internally as a committee.
We did have two members excuse themselves from the Committee for reasons of personal convictions.
We are praying for guidance on whether to replace them or stay with the remaining group of 7.
We are also reworking a survey for the congregation that will allow you to share your expectations of what you desire in our new Pastor. It will be available in a few weeks.
I will plan for additional updates every two weeks following our scheduled Committee meetings.
Thank you!
Thomas
2/23/2025
committee Chairman selected
Hello! My name is Thomas Tremaine. I have been chosen by the Pastor Search Committee to be the Chairman.
I am taking this opportunity to introduce myself to those in the congregation who do not know me.
I grew up mostly in Oklahoma. I ate, slept, and lived for baseball as a youngster and all through High School. A little known fact, I actually beat Babe Ruth's season record 60 home runs before Roger Maris! Unfortunately, it was in backyard whiffle ball!
I graduated college from Florida State University with a degree in English. There, I met Lila and fell madly in love. In 1974, we were married, but we were not believers. I was studying to be an English teacher. I knew nothing about the Bible, but knew it was an influential book. To be a good English teacher, "I thought", I should know something about it so I started reading it. Little did I know then, that God was beginning the process of drawing me to Himself. Amazingly, God was doing the same thing in Lila's life! We both accepted Jesus as our Lord and were baptized together on Valentine's Day,1976.
After 50 years of marriage, we have 3 grown children and 5 grandchildren that all live in the area! Let me tell you, being a grandparent exceeds everything I was told about it. It is wonderful!
We moved to Summerville in 1999. We became members of Old Fort in 2019. I have been team teaching an Adult Sunday School class with David McAlhaney for several years. I am a member of the Maasai Pastors Project board and have been on two amazing mission trips to Tanzania.
I look forward to serving you on this committee. Please know that the committee recognizes the importance of the task we have been given. We commit to diligently seeking God's guidance as we search for the man He has chosen to lead us.
The committee is tentatively scheduled to meet every two weeks. I will be giving you updates accordingly.
1/26/2025
Pastor Search committee Elected
The Personnel Committee presented the following motion to establish Pastor Search Committee and elect members.
Pursuant to Article II Church Officers, Section 1 Pastor, of the OFBC By-Laws, dated March 14, 2018, the Personnel Committee and the Elders make the following motion to establish the Pastor Search Committee and to elect members.
The Pastor Search Committee shall be elected by the church to seek out a suitable pastor and its recommendation will constitute a nomination. The committee shall bring to the consideration of the church only one name at a time. Election shall be by ballot with an affirmative vote of at least three-fourths of those present being necessary for a choice. The Pastor, thus elected, shall serve until the relationship is terminated by his request or by the church's request.
The Pastor Search Committee will continue until the elected Pastor assumes his position as the Senior Pastor at Old Fort Baptist Church. At that time the authorization of the Pastor Search Committee will end and the committee will cease.
The committee will elect the chairman to lead the committee and to provide updates to the church at regularly called business meetings. Specific training on the process for selecting a suitable pastor will be provided by the Director of the Screven Baptist Association.
The chairman, working with the Personnel Committee and the Elders, will determine if a replacement to the committee is required in the event of vacancy. The Elders will provide approval for a replacement. The chairman will include notification of any membership changes to the church at the next business meeting.
Representatives from the Elders, Personnel and Stewardship Committees will be ex officio members of the Pastor Search Committee. The chairmen of the Personnel and Stewardship Committees will serve as the representatives for their committees.
The following people have been nominated by members of OFBC and have agreed to serve on the Pastor Search Committee.
- Robin Brittain
- Dan Farmer
- Norma Melendez
- Tom Tremaine
- Len Wilkinson
- Mason Van Tassel
- Quincy Williams
Ex officio – John Williams, Elder; Mike Creighton, Personnel; and Mike Montei, Stewardship
12/30/2024
Pastor Search committee Nominations
At the Annual Church Conference, it was announced that we plan to have a Pastor Search Committee created and brought before the church for vote in January. Please complete the form below if you are interested in being on the committee or have a nomination for a possible committee member.
The Pastor Search Committee will work to:
- Prayerfully establish a process for identifying God’s man for the Senior Pastor role at Old Fort.
- Prayerfully execute that process to identify God’s man for the role of Senior Pastor.
- Communicate periodic search committee updates and progress reports to the church staff, deacon body, and the church as a whole.
- Present that pastoral candidate to the church for a vote of acceptance.
Transitional TAsk Force
Task Force Workshop
When: Saturday, February 8, 2025 (9am - 3:30pm) & Sunday, February 9 (4pm - 6pm).
Location: Annex
Childcare available with RSVP.
Task Force Interest Meeting (January 26, 2025)
The purpose of the meeting was to inform the church on the Transitional Model Process and what is entailed in the work of the Transitional Task Force. The goal was to give information to enable individuals to decide with confidence whether or not they should commit to be a part of the work of the Task Force.
The video below does a good job of laying out the benefits of the Transitional Pastor Model.
How the Transitional Task Force Will Work
Step 1 - Identifying the Transitional Task Force
Step 2 - Organizing the Transitional Task Force
Step 3 - Mobilizing the Transitional Task Force at the Workshop on February 8 & 9.
At the workshop we will begin to:
- Look at a brief history of the church (Identify important milestones).
- Draw some conclusions about our current reality (Strengths, weaknesses, threats, and opportunities).
- Examine the Core Values of OFBC (Actual vs aspirational).
- Define the Mission of the OFBC (Purpose).
- Discern and Describe a God-revealed Vision for OFBC (Picture).
Step 4 - Commencing the Teamwork - After the initial workshop, the teams will begin their work independently from the Task Force. Each team will have a Staff-Elder appointed Team Captain or Team Leader who will stay in communication with team members and set dates and times for their meetings/work. The Team Captains will also be in communication with the Transitional Pastor and Ministerial Staff as to progress, needs, and questions. There will be 7 Teams:
- Worship Team: The task of the Worship Team is to offer possible goals and strategies to continue and enhance authentic Christian worship that glorifies God the Father and the Risen Christ, in the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.
- Discipleship Team: The task of the Discipleship Team is to offer possible goals and strategies that will lead all believers to become fully formed, mature followers of Jesus Christ who make new disciples.
- Ministry Team: The task of the Ministry Team is to offer goals and strategies by which all members, using their spiritual gifts, passions, and experiences, are serving others in Jesus’ Name.
- Fellowship Team: The task of the Fellowship Team is to offer goals and strategies by which members may experience the joys and sorrows of intimate, loving, and mutually encouraging relationships with one another in a Christ-centered community.
- Missions Team: The task of the Missions Team is to offer goals and strategies that fulfill Jesus’ mandate that all believers (The church) are to be his witnesses in the Acts 1:8 model, understanding that missions is taking the Gospel outside the walls of the church building.
- Evangelism Team: The task of the Evangelism Team is to offer goals and strategies for members of OFBC to share the Gospel with those who are far from God but “near” to them.
- Vision Team (Staff Pastors and Elders): The task of the Vision Team is to offer a God-revealed, Christ-centered word picture of the church we believe God is pointing us to and positioning us to become in the near future (3-5 year timespan).
Each team will work over the next 6 months to: (1) Identify areas of weakness or need, or strength to enhance. (2) Develop 2 to 3 SMART goals. (3) Determine strategies. (4) Establish timelines, resources, and responsibilities. (5) Evaluate, assess, and adjust.